Nsukka LG Chairman’s Affront To State Gov’t: Hubris or Naivety?

By Sammie Echi Agbo

The implausible response of the chairman of Nsukka LGA, Mr Chinedu Asogwa, to the directive by the Enugu State government for him to steer clear from the orderly election of the traditional ruler of Umuoyo-Nru community smacks of a council chairman with the conceit of Idi Amin of Uganda. 

The state government, through its Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, had in an announcement, on Sunday, educated Mr Asogwa that election/selection of traditional rulers and executives of town union is exclusively within the purview of the state, and exercised through the ministry. Rather than learning better, Mr Asogwa mandated his media urchins to make mockery of the Ministry’s Commissioner, Deacon Okey Ogbodo, who simply is exercising the powers of the his ministry on behalf of Gov Peter Mbah. 

How it started

Umuoyo community had elected its traditional ruler, Igwe Ejike Asadu, on February 8, 2025, which the ministry supervised and certified, having followed the due process. Asogwa, swimming in the hubris of being the council chairman of Nsukka LGA, through the secretary to the LGA, Hon Cornelius Chikwado Ezugwu, chose to subvert the wishes of the natives of the community for his clandestine gains. He volunteered to challenge the jurisdiction of the ministry and its commissioner, Deacon Okey Ogbodo, by declaring the Umuoyo election null and void. 

Asogwa had endorsed a letter, entitled “Unlawful Election/Selection of Igwe of Umuoyo Nru-Nsukka Community”, which declared that the February 8, 2025 election of Igwe Ejike Asadu was not in line with the established due process for election/selection of recognised titles for monarchs in Enugu State. 

The secretary, Hon Cornelius Chikwado Ezugwu, on behalf of the chairman, wrote to the president general of the community, claiming that, “The purported election/selection was not done in the interest of the entire Umuoyo-Nru community; that there was already an impending petition before the election/selection was carried out.”

“Sequel to this,” the secretary touted, “You (PG) are hereby informed, following the directives of the executive chairman, that the election/selection is not recognised by Nsukka LG council. Both parties in the Igwe’s tussle are advised to maintain status quo till further notice.” 

Commissioner Okey Ogbodo had in an announcement advised Asogwa not to meddle in the Igweship election. In the letter entitled, “Unlawful meddling with the statutory local mandate of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy, and Affront to the State Government by Uninformed Local Government Council Leadership”, Deacon Ogbodo alerted the chairman that he was going overboard, adding that his office was open for the chairman to express his anger, if any, over the election rather than acting like Napoleon.

According to the commissioner, “The ministry on behalf of the state government is responsible for the supervision and coordination of LGAs in Enugu State.” Asogwa was also consciously informed that the ministry is “conferred with the prerogative to determine communities or towns that are entitled to elect, select or appoint a traditional ruler”, adding that, “The LGA chairman or his agents do not have the authority to interfere, adjudicate or decide on the outcome of a community’s traditional election or selection. This is the absolute responsibility of the state government, exercised through the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs.”

Rather than being a humble leader, and abiding by the simple administrative rules, even after being schooled, Chinedu Asogwa felt that he has landed, and began to cast aspersions on the person of the Hon Commissioner.  

Upon his instruction, one of his media imps, Solomon Onah, ignorantly reviled that, “It's unacceptable for an appointed official like Deacon Ogbodo to try to bully a democratically elected chairman like Engr Asogwa.” He urged the state to take immediate action “to address Ogbodo's overreach”.

Chinedu Asogwa has demonstrated that he lacks the wherewithal and capacity to be a council chairman. He has proven that he is a rolling stone. He has shown that he simply climbed a rostrum without being prepared, given credence to calls for proper schooling of public office-holders for better administration. He has shown that he is not abreast of what a local government chairman is all about vis-a-vis the level of control a state government has over LGAs. 

One also wonders how appointments were made by Asogwa. With his retinue of aides, including legal and media, the values they bring to his administration demand interrogations. If Asogwa appointed qualified legal/political aides, of what significance are they? Then coming to media urchins: Solomon Onah is known to be a recycled and unemployable skunk. His choice of words, uncoordinated thoughts, misleading eulogies, and vituperative utterances display a media aide that is ignorant of sublime public relations. His ‘exalted’ office, which Asogwa enjoys, shows the bestiality of both the boss and his aide.    

This piece is not to attack the personality of anybody, but to learn from Asogwa’s inordinate youthful exuberances. Any person occupying a public office should be above board because it is sacred. There is need for refresher courses for council chairmen to prepare them for the onerous task of leaders. 

Enugu State needs peace and tranquillity. Under Gov Peter Mbah, we have witnessed silent development that is unprecedented. Peace being witnessed in various hitherto crisis-ridden communities today is because of the candid and unblemished conflict-resolution methods of Gov Mbah, which Deacon Okey Ogbodo implements with sincere astuteness. Chinedu Asogwa should not set the state ablaze by setting precedents that could rock the boats in other LGAs. 

A stitch in time saves nine. 

Agbo writes from Enugu.